On March 26th, Israel will face off against Glasgow in the 2020 UEFA European Football Championship, also known as UEFA Euro 2020 or simply Euro 2020. Unfolding over six days, 16 teams will battle it out for the four remaining UEFA EURO 2020 places in the competition’s new-look play-offs.
Sitting 36 places below Scotland in the FIFA world rankings, Israel will have their work cut out for them come game day. But with a series of upsets in their history, Israel might just prove that they can pull off the unlikely yet again.
Controversy for Israel
After an incident in Poland last year though, there is some concern about the conduct of the players if they lose. In June, the Israeli Football Association actually considered the possibility of removing four football players who, despite a ban prohibiting it, left the hotel in Warsaw and went to a casino after losing to Poland 0-4, as reported by Ynet. The ban initially arose after a scandal concerning casino visits in Belgium, and the association made changes prohibiting casino visits after matches. Luckily, Glasgow isn’t exactly known for its casinos so the team might have to try their luck on Casino Winner or another online gambling platform if the urge strikes.
New play-off framework for 2020
A football team with a checkered history, Israel seems to have benefitted from the new framework. Despite the fact that there have been play-offs for five of the last six European Championships, the UEFA EURO 2020 play-offs have a very different format. For the first time, teams must come through more than one round and, unlike previous editions, sides have qualified to participate via the UEFA Nations League rather than the European Qualifiers. The 16 UEFA Nations League group winners were guaranteed play-off places before the European Qualifiers and if they advanced via their qualifying groups, their spot went to the next best-ranked team in their league.
History of the Israeli Football Association
For Israel though, their full integration into the European system has been tough, and at times disputed, saga. For those unacquainted with the history of the Middle East, the idea of a country that borders Jordan and Egypt playing in European football competition might come as a surprise.
Overall, the Arab world has largely rejected Israel, both politically and in football terms, since the state’s inception in 1948. For lack of other options, Israeli clubs began taking part in European club competitions in 1991 and its football association became full UEFA members in 1994 — having famously beaten France in a 1993 World Cup qualifier. Its membership continues to represent an anomaly in international football though, with criticism coming from Palestine and other neighboring countries. Nevertheless, they continue to play and even to pull off a few notable wins. So although the Israeli team will certainly have a tough go battling Scotland on home turf, they’re expected to put up a good fight.
